Banana-shipping case.



PATENTED MAR. 3, 1908.

` G. A. WEIIALMAN. BANANA SHIP-PING GAsE. .APPLIOA'TIDN FILED JUNI:11.1906.

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' PATENTED MAILv 3, 1908.

G. A. WELLMAN. BANANA SHIPPING GASEL'- APPLICATION FILED JUNE nileb.'

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CHARLES A. WELLMAN, OF OTTUMWA, IOWA,

BANANA-SHIPPING CASE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 3, 1908.

Application filed June ll. 1906. Serial No. 321.255.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. WELLMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ottumwa, in the county of l/Vapello, State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Banana-Shipping Cases,of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in banana shipping cases, and hasfor its object to provide a new and improved support for the fruit inthe case.

Heretofore, the bag which contains the fruit and which is secured withinand out of contact with the outer crate has generally been made ofcloth, and the bottom portion has been given the shape of a hollowinverted cone. llhen a bunch of bananas is placed in such a bag, thestem of the bunch rests in the apex of the cone, and the weight of thefruit is such that the stem wears a hole through the cloth in acomparatively short time, especially if the case is roughly handled.Moreover, the apex of the conical end portion is centrally disposed withrelation to the cylindrical bag. This, of course, is very satisfactoryif the stem of the bunch of bananas is straight from end to end, butwhen a bunch with a stem curved to any considerable degree is placed inthe bag, some little force is required forgetting the bunch intoposition with the stem in the apex of the cone where it will sustain theweight of the fruit and be held firmly in place. This forcing of thefruit into the bag either changes the shape of the bunch-in whichstrained position it is held as long as it remains in the bag-with greatconsequent damage to the fruit, or it forces the bagout of shape, oftenallowing the fruit to come in contact with the outer crate. To avoidthese di'fliculties, I have provided an independent support of metal orother suitable material, so formed and so combined with the remainingparts of the case that the weight of the bunch of bananas will besustained by the stem and the bunch itself securely held in positionwithout its having any undue force used upon it.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved meansfor effectually closing the top of the bag. It has been customary toemploy a bag somewhat longer than an ordinary bunch of bananas, and thebag has generally been split longitudinally at one side for a shortdistance from the top, so

that the top of the b-ag could be turned'down out of the way, in orderto facilitate putting in or taking out the fruit. l/Vhen the bunch offruit had been put into the bag, its top portion was simply gatheredtogether and tied with a cord, or otherwise suitably secured, This,however, always leaves an opening in the top of the bag, through whichones hand can be readily inserted and quickly withdrawn with one or morebananas. This can be done so quickly that it is difficult to detect theguilty party, and is often a source of considerable loss in the shipmentof bananas. My improved closure is provided to prevent this furtivetaking of fruit, as well as better to protect the fruit itself.

Another object of my invention is to improve the construction of casesof this class in various details hereinafter pointed out.

I accomplish these objects by the means shown in the accompanyingdrawings, and hereinafter specifically described. What I believe to benew will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved case. Fig. 2is a section taken at line 2 2 of Fig. 1, showing also in dotted lines abunch of fruit in position. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the topportion of the bag, with one side of the bag cut away. Fig. 4 is a viewsimilar to that of Fig. 3, but showing the flap folded down. Fig. 5 is aview similar to that of Fig. 1l, but showing the end of the bag gatheredand tied. Fig. 6 is a section taken at line 6 6 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, in which corresponding reference numeralsindicate like parts, 10 indicates the frame. of an ordinary bananashipping case, comprising the longitudinal slats 11, inner and outerhoops 12 and 13 at the top, inner and outer hoops 14 and 15 at thebottom, intermediate inner hoops 16, and metal band 17 carrying rollers18, the parts being suitably connected together in any well-knownmanner.

19 indicates a support secured to the inside of the lowermostintermediate hoop 16 by means of staples, or in any other suitablemanner, for holding in position a bunch of bananas. As shown in'Figs. 2and 6, this support 19 extends downward and inward from the lowermosthoop 16 to a point 20, thence upward and inward to a point 21, andthence downward and inward again to the central point 22. This supportis preferably made of very`stiff wire-netting swaged into l6. Inasmuchas the diameter of the bag is less than the inside diameter of the hoops12 and 16, when the cords 24 are drawn tight and tied the bag 23 will beheld away from the frame 10 at all points.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the bottom of the bag is secured at allpoints to the support 19 a short distance below the point where thesupport is secured to the lowermost hoop 16.

I have shown it as being stitched to said support by means of cord 25,but it may be otherwise suitably secured thereto.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the bag 23 when extended reaches somedistance above the frame 10. To enable this top portion of the baO to beturned down out of the way in orc er to put in or take out a bunch ofbananas, a longitudinal slit 26 is made in the top of the bag down tothe hoops 12 and 13. To effectually close this opening when the top ofthe bag is tied in the usual manner, a flap 27 is provided, whichisstitched to the bag, as shown, at a point about opposite the top of theframe 10, or otherwise suitably secured in position. It is evident thatthis flap can also be readily turned down outside the frame to enableone to readily put in or take out a bunch of bananas.

In Fig. 2, a bunch of bananas is shown in dotted lines in position inthe case. 28 indicates the lower end of the stem of a curved bunch ofbananas, which end is accordingly made to rest in the annular channelformed in the support 19 as above described, thus supporting it withouthaving to straighten the stem with the consequent liability to damagethe fruit, and at the same time keeping the bunch, as a whole,approximately in the center ofthe case where it must be to avoid damagein handling. 29 indicates the lower end of the stem of a straight bunchof bananas, the end 29 being placed. in the central conical depressionand thus insuring the shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. This is shownmore in detail in Figs. 4 and 5. It is evident that the ilap 27eectually closes the opening 26, rendering it practically impossible totake out bananas Without unfastening the cord at the top of the bag,which of course would consume so much time that it could not usually bedone without detection.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. In a banana shipping case, the combination of a crate, meansWithin said crate near its lower end adapted to support in any of aplurality of positions the end of the stem of a bunch of bananas, and abag distended and secured withinsaid crate above said supporting means.

2. In a banana shipping case, the combination of a crate, a rigidsupport secured within said crate near its lower end, said supporthaving a plurality of depressions each adapted to receive and hold inplace the end of the stem of a bunch of bananas, and a bag distended andsecured Within said crate.

3. In a banana shipping case, the combination of a crate, a rigidsupport secured within said crate near its lower end, said supporthaving a central conical depression and an outer concentric depression,and a bag distended and secured within said crate` above said support.

4. In a banana shipping case, the combination of a crate, a wire-nettingsupport secured within said crate near its lower end, said support beingshaped to have a conical depression and an outer concentric depression,and a bag distended and secured within said crate.

CHARLES A. WELLMAN.

